Post Pole Shift
Post Pole Shift:
- Stay well away from the main streams of people-flow. That implies roads.
- When intending to approach people, for a good while stay hidden. Look at the group
dynamics. Is there a leader who intimidates the rest with a firearm? Do the same when
you wish to approach an encampment or community. Do they shoot people on sight? Be
on your guard at all times.
- Take your time and conserve your strength. Living "off the land" requires at least half the
day in looking for and gathering food. Be extremely careful of your footing, especially in
rocks and in the woods, where most trees will be laying on the ground and slippery from
the rain and mud. Be sure you have a "third leg" in the form of a staff or "walking stick".
It only takes one slip to produce a compound fracture, immobilizing you and opening the
skin to infection. Your chances for survival have been cut many fold.
- Be prepared to eat insects. Do this before your life depends upon it. You accomplish
two things in practicing this before the pole shift. You get over the psychological
element (for the most part), which in your confused, depressed, and hopeless state of
mind post pole shift could "out shout" your logical mind and prevent you from taking the
only nourishment available. The second thing is that you allow your body to gradually
build defenses to the various pathogens you may encounter. Do this while there are still
medical services available, should you encounter something particularly virile. Use your
wok when possible to cook insects that appear particularly non-palatable or may contain
virile pathogens. In general, earth worms when purged can be safely eaten raw, as well
as such things as grass hoppers or locusts. (Grass hoppers and locusts taste like eating a
blade of grass of a leaf. The only thing that personally bothers me is legs caught in my
teeth, so I just pull off the legs and wings). As time goes on and you must depend upon
grubs, particularly for their fat, cooking helps both psychologically and from a health
standpoint. If you coat them with pounded arrow head root and steam, they are very good
and you haven't lost any of the precious fat.
- Frequently set up a camp site in an unlikely to be found location. Plan on spending a
week or so there. Rest, set snares, explore the immediate surroundings, sing even when
you don't want to. Take time to cry, grieve for what is lost. Give yourself some time to
start adjusting. Make your campsite particularly comfortable and especially dry with
your large tarp. Clean yourself and your clothes and give everything a chance to dry out.
This is particularly important psychologically, as one is able to experience having
survived, enduring the harsh and exhausting travel and eventually being able to feel
better, more comfortable, and in control. Practice making a bow and arrows using the
meat cleaver as a draw knife. Small items of sheet metal found along the way can be cut
into arrow heads using your metal shears. Dig small roots, some of which are like cable
inside to use for cording. Make and practice using a sling, etc.
- Keep in mind that with every day that passes, the danger from other groups of people
desperate for what little you have decreases. Within a couple of months there will be
very few that have survived. Of those who have survived to this point, be particularly
careful as they have most likely survived by cannibalism.
Offered by Ron.
